How to Download All Gmail Emails to Computer? Use Best 3 Ways

Gmail is the world’s most popular email service with over 1.8 billion active users. Despite Google’s strong reliability track record, having a local copy of your Gmail emails protects you against account lockouts, accidental deletions, and the unlikely but possible scenario of losing access to your Google account.

There are two main ways to download Gmail emails to your computer. This guide covers both.

Why Download Gmail Emails to Your Computer?

Gmail’s 15GB free storage is shared between Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos. Most heavy email users hit this limit within a few years. Beyond storage, there are other reasons to keep local copies:

• You’re switching from Gmail to a different email provider like Outlook, Yahoo or a business email host
• You want a backup in case your Google account is suspended or compromised
• You need emails in a format you can access offline without a browser
• You’re archiving old emails before deleting them from Gmail to free up storage
• You need email data for legal, compliance or accounting purposes

Google’s own terms of service allow account suspension in certain circumstances, and account recovery is not always straightforward. A local backup of your Gmail data, including emails and attachments, is a practical safety net regardless of how reliable Google’s infrastructure is.

Method 1: Google Takeout (Free)

Google Takeout is Google’s built-in data export tool. It’s free, requires no third-party software, and can export all your Gmail emails at once.

Step 1: Access Google Takeout

Sign in to your Google account. Click your profile picture, then “Manage your Google Account”, then go to Data and Privacy.

Step 2: Select Gmail Data

In Data and Privacy, scroll to Download or delete your data and click Download your data. In the Takeout page, deselect all services first, then scroll to Mail and check it.

Step 3: Create and Download the Export

Scroll to the bottom and click Next step. Set the export options (file type, frequency, destination) and click Create export. Google processes your export, which may take hours or days for large mailboxes. You’ll get an email when it’s ready to download.

The Takeout download gives you one or more .zip files containing an MBOX file with all your emails. MBOX opens in Thunderbird, Apple Mail and other email clients.

One limitation: Takeout gives you the full mailbox as one large file. You can’t select specific folders or date ranges, and you can’t schedule recurring exports easily. For those features, use Method 2.

Method 2: Turgs Gmail Backup Tool

For more control over what you download and in what format, Turgs Gmail Backup Tool is the better option. It connects to Gmail using Google’s OAuth authentication (no password sharing) and lets you choose specific folders, date ranges and output formats.

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How to Use Gmail Backup Tool

Follow these steps to download Gmail emails to your computer using Turgs Gmail Backup Tool.

Step 1: Launch the Tool

Install and open Turgs Gmail Backup Tool. The first screen shows the authentication option.

Step 2: Sign In with Google

Click Sign In with Google. This opens your browser where you authenticate with Google using OAuth. No password is shared with the tool. You’ll see a Google permissions screen asking for access to your Gmail data.

Step 3: Grant Permissions

Click Allow to grant the tool read access to your Gmail account. The tool uses Gmail’s API and your access can be revoked at any time from your Google Account security settings.

Step 4: Select Folders to Download

After connecting, the tool shows your Gmail label/folder structure. Select which folders (labels) to include in the download. You can also set a date range filter at this step.

Step 5: Choose Output Format

Select the output format: EML, MBOX, PDF, MSG, PST or other options. EML is the most flexible format as each email saves as a separate file that opens in most email clients. PST is needed if you’re importing into Outlook.

Step 6: Set Destination and Download

Choose where to save the downloaded emails and click Start. The tool downloads all selected Gmail emails and saves them to your PC in the chosen format.

Limitations to Know

Frequently Asked Questions

Which method should I use to download Gmail to my computer?

Use Google Takeout if you want a complete one-time backup of all Gmail data and don’t mind waiting a few hours. Use Turgs Gmail Backup Tool if you need to select specific folders, use a date range filter, or choose a specific output format like PST or EML. The tool is also better if you plan to do regular backups on a schedule.

What format does Google Takeout use for Gmail emails?

Google Takeout exports Gmail emails in MBOX format, which is an open standard used by Thunderbird, Apple Mail and many other email clients. The MBOX file contains all your emails in a single file. To open individual emails, you need an email client that supports MBOX import.

Will downloading Gmail emails delete them from Gmail?

No. Both Google Takeout and the Turgs Gmail Backup Tool download a copy of your emails without deleting them from Gmail. Your Gmail account remains unchanged after the download. If you want to delete emails after downloading them, you need to do that manually or use a separate archiving workflow.

Can I download Gmail emails with attachments included?

Yes. Both methods download emails with their attachments intact. In MBOX or EML format, attachments are embedded in the email files. In PST format, they’re attached to the email items. The Turgs Gmail Backup Tool also has an option to save attachments as separate files alongside the email files.

How long does it take to download a large Gmail account?

For Google Takeout, the processing time on Google’s servers varies but typically takes 2 to 24 hours for a standard Gmail account with under 50,000 emails. For the Turgs Gmail Backup Tool, download speed depends on your internet connection and Gmail’s API rate limits. A typical inbox with 10,000 emails downloads in 30 to 60 minutes.

Can I use these methods to download Gmail to Outlook?

Yes. Turgs Gmail Backup Tool can export Gmail emails in PST format, which you can then import directly into Outlook via File > Open and Export > Import/Export. This is the recommended approach for migrating from Gmail to Outlook and preserving your full email history with folder structure.